Second Class Permit Paid at Bronx, N.Y. USPS 114-590 Volume 39 Number 1 January-February 2010 One Dollar As to the restaurants, business is off by ings rather than develop the entire property City Island and the Economy about 20 percent, Mr. Giacco estimated, so that he could approach the market in a By BARBARA DOLENSEK but they are holding their own for the most conservative fashion. Sea Breeze Estates part, hoping for a good Valentine’s Day and on Marine Street has been only on paper for regular customers all of the other days! the past 20 years, but the developers, GBG, In spite of the economic downturn, real Inc., are moving ahead with the final permit estate developers seem to have their glasses applications so that they can begin work half full rather than empty. The plans for soon on an apartment building complex the former site of International Underwa- with 32 units. ter Contractors are moving ahead, with Another major building project seems the City Council voting to authorize the also to be in the works, at least in the change from manufacturing to residential rumor mill, which is a nursing home on zoning in order to accommodate 22 two- Eastchester Bay. No drawings exist for this family houses. The developer, Tony Errico, project, and the sale of the site has not been told the community last year that he would completed, but The Current has its ear to start with only three or four of the build- the ground, so stay tuned! Barber Ben of the Hollywood Barber Shop, which has just opened on City Island Avenue at Ditmars Street, gives Bob Carmody a haircut (l. to r.): Ben Mulankandov, Bob Car- mody and Ben’s brother Joseph, manager of the shop. The fact that the American economy or sell, and two are available for rent at is in trouble is not news to City Island. this time.” Nevertheless, the empty store- There are nearly 20 empty storefronts and fronts, whether they are used for storage or at least one business, Paul Klein’s Exotiqa, not, give a poor impression of the business is preparing to close for good. possibilities here, especially since four of However, there are some signs that them are highly visible as one drives over good news may be just around the corner. the bridge: the empty Italian ice shop, two Photo by RICK DeWITT Skip Giacco, president of the City Island stores just south of Dunkin Donuts and a Lickety Split’s Christmas trees came pre-decorated with sparkling snow this year. Chamber of Commerce, is looking ahead large three-part commercial space next to to the not-too-distant future when the the bakery. commercial future of City Island will be Jacqueline Kyle Kall, who has been HEAVENLY RESTORATION brighter. He is hosting an open house for selling real estate on City Island for many all Island businesses, large and small, at years, like her mother before her, is less the Sea Shore Restaurant on Feb. 10, and encouraged about the market. She says he hopes that people will come willing to that the property values have gone down share their ideas and work together to put but that mortgages are harder to get, with City Island back on the economic track. 30 percent down payments. As to the busi- He was pleased that at least five new nesses, she regrets that so many residents businesses have opened during the past few go off the Island to shop. Home Depot and months, traditionally the worst season for Costco offer greater bargains than small Island commerce. He was quick to point shops can afford to offer, and lifestyles out, however, that Doggie Island, Krunch have changed. She remembers when peo- Time Fitness, Calico Juno Designs, City ple actually had their shoes repaired and Island Tattoos and the Hollywood Barber their hats blocked (“No one even knows Shop are not aimed at an off-Island clien- what that means anymore!” she told The tele, and this is, he believes, why they have Current). a chance of succeeding where other stores Mrs. Kall believes that the best way to have not. “Businesses should be appeal- utilize the empty shops is to convert them ing to visitors, of course, but our main to ground-floor apartments, which could customers live right here on City Island.” offer gardens in back and be accessible Mr. Giacco’s business, Lickety Split Ice to people who have difficulty climbing Cream, is a seasonal one, but he sells stairs. Such a conversion would require Christmas trees in December and doesn’t a zoning change, however, and there is otherwise budget for much income during no indication that the owners of most of the off season. these empty stores are interested in filling Bob Carmody of AER Realty was them. delighted to report that 2009 was his most Indeed, many residents suspect that successful ever in terms of income, with the landlords, most of them off-Islanders, over $6 million in sales, mostly thanks to don’t care if their stores are empty or not the sale of the Laurels complex on east Tier and keep them that way for tax reasons or Street. However, he acknowledges that the because they don’t care about the commu- sales and values of one- and two-family nity. houses dipped by about 15 to 20 percent, The Civic Association’s Quality of as did residential rentals. Nevertheless, Life Committee conducted a survey sev- sales on City Island began to pick up last eral months ago (see The Current’s April October and prices began to stabilize, 2009 issue) and determined that busi- showing a slight increase in value. nesses catering to Island residents would Photos by DON EMMERT AND VIRGINIA DANNEGGER As to commercial real estate, he says be likely to succeed, as Skip Giacco pre- Dennis (left) and Steve Owens of the Owens Brothers Tree Service and their crew that of the empty storefronts, “two are in dicts. In the meantime, the group talked worked hard to refurbish St. Mary’s in December; they power washed, acid cleaned and buildings that are for sale, ten are used to a number of landlords and persuaded sealed all the bricks on the church, including the rectory and the school. They cleaned by owners for storage or will soon be them to allow the display of art work and and painted the gutters, replaced brick around the rectory and did spot pointing of opened for business, three are empty sim- photographs in their windows to make the bricks, and then they painted the steeple and regilded the cross. The cross was too high for their truck’s ladder to reach, so firefighters Dennis Ward (left) and Kevin Wacha of ply because the owner chooses not to rent emptiness less bleak. Ladder Company 51 came to the rescue by putting on the finishing touches. Page Two The Island Current January-February 2010 “WAIT UNTIL DARK,” a theatrical thriller by Frederick Knott, will be presented BRIEFLY... by the City Island Theater Group during the last two weekends in February (Feb. 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 21 at 3 p.m.). Call 718-885-3066 for reservations. See you at the BLOOD DRIVE, sponsored by the Bronx Masons, will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 9, theater! between the hours of 3:30 and 8 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 113 Bay Street (two blocks up from second traffic light). Almost anyone between the ages of 17 and 75 weighing a WARRIORS FOOTBALL: Chief Jerry Demers invites all boys and girls ages 5 to minimum of 110 pounds and in good general health can be a blood donor. Photo or signature 14 to sign up for cheerleading or flag and tackle football. Registration for the upcoming season ID and Social Security number are required at the time of donation. will take place at Lehman High School on Sunday, March 7, and Sunday, March 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registrants should be accompanied by a parent or guardian and should have a Grace Episcopal GRACE CHURCH PEW-TIME FOR PARENTS: copy of their birth certificate. Parents should find street parking and enter the school from the Church, 116 City Island Avenue at Pilot Street, has announced “Lambs,” a new program for side entrance by the football field. Cheerleaders can be 5 to 13 years of age. Flag Football par- families with young children, which began on Christmas Eve and will continue throughout 2010 ticipants may sign up if 5, 6 or 7 years old. Tackle football is divided into three divisions which at the 10 a.m. service on the first Sunday of every month. This new program adds to the church’s include Mites (7, 8, and 9) Pee Wee (10 and 11) and Junior (12, 13 and 14). For additional roster of child-friendly programs of regular Sunday School, summer Vacation Bible School and information, call Jerry Demers at 718-829-7574. The cost of Flag Football is $130 ($150 after Youth Sunday. Grace won a competitive First Steps diocesan grant to cover the costs of the March 14); Tackle and Cheer $150 ($170 after March 14). Lambs program, which will enable the church to offer the parents of young children uninter- rupted worship time. Parents are invited to drop off their young children with Miss Natalie at sion and removed a camera from one apart- 9:50 a.m. in the Parish Hall.